Expats shut out of Kuwait worried over due date for rental payments

As the coronavirus scare spreads across the world, expats in Kuwait who were on overseas trips when flights were suspended are now unable to pay their rents in time.

Expatriates with Kuwaiti rental properties may be in breach of the law through no fault of their own, as all tenants are required to pay their monthly rents before the 20th day of each month. According to one judge, landlords are able to get eviction orders if tenants are behind on their monthly payments, whatever the reason for the delay. If expats are unable to enter the country and are paying their rents using cash, they can nominate another person to pay for them and, even though a landlord may request an eviction order, court session dates are usually set between one and three months of filing.

Provided the ban on arrivals from the stated overseas destinations is relaxed soon,, the majority of landlords may well allow late payments due to the extraordinary situation. For expats with less than co-operative landlords, paying overdue rentals immediately they’re able to return to Kuwait should be enough to put the matter to rest, but if returns are prohibited in the long-term, expats can appoint a lawyer through power of attorney to protect their legal rights as tenants.

Meanwhile in the UAE, retailers are urging their customers not to give in to the temptation of bulk buying in the same manner as is occurring in other countries hit by increasing numbers of coronavirus infections. At the present time, the shift towards stocking up is very low, leaving retailers convinced there won’t be a run on essentials unless the situation changes massively. A few customers are buying extra bottled water, milk for young family members and suchlike, and disinfectants are also popular, but there’s no sign of supplies running out at the present time.